Anniversary Celebrations with 19¢ Burger Days
Every city has a few traditions that feel like they belong to everyone.
One of those traditions, started in Seattle and has since grown across the Puget Sound region, is gathering outside a Dick’s Drive-In in January. People come bundled in coats and hats, swapping stories and smiles while the grills work their magic. Some customers bring their kids for the first time, others bring their grandkids. And many show up with the same goal they’ve had for decades: getting a hamburger or cheeseburger (and fries and a shake) that taste the way they always have since 1954.
That tradition is 19¢ Burger Days, a celebration tied directly to Dick’s Drive-In’s anniversary on January 28, 1954, the day the first Drive-In opened its windows to serve burgers, fries and shakes in Wallingford on NE 45th Street.
It’s a simple idea with a big heart: for a few days each year, Dick’s offers hamburgers and cheeseburgers for 19¢, the original price on opening day.
But what makes it special isn’t just the price—it’s what the price represents: a connection to the earliest days of Dick’s Drive-In and, through it, the memories made here for more than seven decades.
A Beginning Built on Optimism (and Cold Seattle Weather)
Two of the three Dick’s Drive-In cofounders: Warren Ghormely (left) and Dick Spady (right)
Dick’s Drive-In was founded by Dick Spady, Warren Ghormley, and Dr. B.O.A. “Thom” Thomas. It opened in Wallingford on January 28, 1954.
At the time, it was a bold concept for Seattle. The restaurant invited customers to step out of their cars and order at a window, a quick-service model that many people doubted would work in a rainy city where carhops (and eventually drive throughs) were the norm.
And then there was the price.
Dick’s opened with a menu featuring 19¢ hamburgers, even though the average burger in town cost about 35¢. For many businesses, that would have sounded impossible. But for Dick Spady and his partners, the mission was clear: serve fresh, high-quality food quickly and affordably, while building something lasting for Seattle.
The first Dick’s Drive-In opening was delayed due to one of Seattle’s worst blizzards dumping more than 20 inches of snow in the second-half of January 1954. Finally, the weather cleared and the new Drive-In on NE 45th opened on January 28, 1954. This new stop in Wallingford with delicious food and low prices was immediately embraced by customers who kept coming back for more.
That detail is still fitting today, because part of Dick’s anniversary tradition includes Seattle weather. Every year, people show up in the January conditions with the same enthusiasm Dick’s customers brought in 1954, proving that burgers and community can outlast a little cold.
Dick’s Drive-In and the Wallingford location celebrating 10 years alongside the more recent Holman Road, Capitol Hill (Broadway), and Lake City stops.
The Value Cycle: Food, People, Community
Dick’s Drive-In’s anniversary isn’t only about nostalgia. It’s also about celebrating the values that have stayed consistent since day one.
In a 70th anniversary customer letter, Dick’s President and CEO Jasmine Donovan describes what made Dick’s work from the beginning: “the founders designed kitchens for instant service so they could serve high-quality burgers, fries, and shakes at low prices and still make a profit.”
But just as important was what they did next: they invested in employees, and those employees took care of customers. Then the founders invested in the communities they served, because they believed that when the community thrives, the business thrives too.
That mindset, in many ways, is the real anniversary tradition. It’s not only about celebrating another year on the calendar. It’s about celebrating the relationships that made those years possible.
How 19-Cent Burger Days Connects to January 28, 1954
The date matters.
Dick’s Drive-In’s anniversary is January 28, the day the first restaurant opened on NE 45th Street in Wallingford. And every year, 19¢ Burger Days happens in celebration of that anniversary, keeping the focus on the very beginning.
So while the event itself may span multiple days and rotate locations, the meaning stays the same: 19¢ burgers are Dick’s way of saying thank you to the customers who keep showing up for meals. It also pays homage to the first day, the first customers, and the first burger that started it all.
A Tradition That Brings Out Stories
One of the best parts of 19¢ Burger Days is that it has become an event that gives people the opportunity to talk to each other - sharing smiles, stories, enthusiasm, and bravery in the face of the January weather. The hamburgers and cheeseburgers might be 19¢, but the memories people bring with them are priceless. The stories are part of what makes Dick’s Drive-In what it is today and what makes the PNW feel like home.
Some customers remember a stop at the Drive-In after a school dance. Some remember late-night fries after a big game. Some remember meeting friends in the parking lot, leaning on the hood of a car, talking about life. Some remember the first time their parents took them. Others remember being the parent, introducing their kids to this ongoing tradition.
And 19¢ Burger Days creates new memories, too.
For families, it’s a chance to share something generational. For longtime fans, it’s a way to feel connected to their own history. And for newcomers, it’s often the moment they realize that Dick’s Drive-In is more than a restaurant.
The original Dick’s Drive-In on 45th in Wallingford.
Major Anniversary Celebrations: A Year of “Thank You”
In milestone years, Dick’s Drive-In doesn’t stop at 19¢ burgers. The major anniversaries become a year-long celebration. In 2024, Dick’s described 19¢ Burger Days as the kickoff to a full year of celebrations for the 70th anniversary.
Planned events included:
Ricardo’s Club 19 Valentine’s Day Event
Car shows
70th Anniversary Parties in the summer
Special recognition for Dick’s Drive-In crew and alumni
Regardless of the anniversary number, Dick’s Drive-In celebrates anniversaries to show thanks to long-lasting customers and create excitement for new customers.
That “thank you” spirit shows up again and again because it reflects how Dick Spady and the founders thought about business: not just as transactions, but as relationships.
What will the next 70 years look like? What memories do you want to make that will pair well with a burger, fries, and milkshake?
Dick Spady’s People-First Legacy
While Dick’s is known for burgers, fries, and shakes, one of its most enduring legacies is how it treats people. Dick Spady instilled into the company culture three steps for success:
Make a profit,
Invest in employees,
Invest in the community.
That philosophy still guides Dick’s Drive-In today. It helps explain why Dick’s anniversary is celebrated so publicly, so joyfully, and so generously. It’s a reflection of values that go beyond the menu. Through community events, volunteering, and creating opportunities for everyone to give back, the Drive-In reinforces the community investment tradition through programs like RoundUp for Charity and broader community support.
For Dick Spady, success wasn’t just about selling more food. It was about building something that could make a positive impact. That kindness and belief in people is part of what customers feel when they visit the Drive-In, whether they realize it or not.
The Anniversary Feeling: Nostalgia You Can Taste
Dick’s Drive-In has been present for so many moments in people’s lives. Generations of customers have made memories and lasting connections - from a simple lunch outing with a co-worker that led to an innovative conversation, one last burger run for classmates after graduation before going their separate ways, a first date venue that led to years of partnership, or a grandparent making memories with their grandchild over a milkshake.
That’s why 19¢ Burger Days works so well as an anniversary tradition. It’s not just a promotion. It’s a shared memory.
It’s a way to step back into 1954 for a moment with a 19¢ burger, celebrating the opening of what has become a PNW staple that continues to serve a mostly unchanged menu for more than 70 years.
It’s also a way to celebrate the people who make Dick’s Drive-In what it is: the crew members, the managers promoted from within, the longtime employees who have built careers, and of course the customers who have made Dick’s part of their story.
Around 1971, the Dick’s Deluxe was added to the menu. Do you notice those ice cream flavors and sundaes?
Looking Ahead While Holding Onto What Matters
What will the next 70 years look like? What memories do you want to make that will pair well with a burger, fries, and milkshake?
That’s the real point of an anniversary celebration: it’s a bridge between past and future. Dick’s Drive-In started with an optimistic idea, a 19¢ hamburger, and a belief in people. It grew by staying committed to quality, investing in employees, and supporting the community.
And now, every January, Dick’s Drive-In celebrates in a way that feels distinctly Seattle—now shared across Puget Sound from Everett down to Federal Way: by feeding people, bringing them together, and giving them one more reason to make a memory—and share their story.
